October 7, 2024 - Communication Deeper Dive
TOUCHSTONE LEADERSHIP COACHING
A COMMUNICATION DEEPER DIVE - OCTOBER 7, 2024
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HOW PEOPLE EXPERIENCE COMMUNICATION IS IMPORTANT!
A DEEPER DIVE INTO WHAT IS HEARD.
What people hear and remember can be influenced by many factors, such as their mood and feelings. To help others understand your message, consider how different perspectives affect what each person hears. The same goes for listening; be aware of how your views and emotions shape your understanding.
As a speaker, your goal should be to ensure that people grasp your intended meaning. Aim for clarity and avoid any ambiguity in your message. If there are gaps, people may fill them in with their own biases. Whenever possible, check in with others to confirm they understood what you meant. Trustworthy colleagues can provide honest feedback, which is valuable for addressing any misunderstandings.
As a listener, use your emotional intelligence. Reflect on how your mood and thoughts might influence what you hear. For instance, feeling down can make you perceive information negatively, while past experiences with the speaker can impact your openness to their message. It can be challenging, but it’s important to set aside personal feelings and evaluate the information objectively to ensure you’re getting what was intended from the speaker.
1. Clarity.
When people are not sure what is meant by someone they will fill in the gaps with their assumptions about the person speaking, their own bias or the prevailing office view. They should ask for clarification but will often make things worse by asking their peers for an opinion on what was said which brings another set of assumptions into play.
2. Not to offend or be judged.
To often people will not ask for clarity or give their own personal view so as not to offend or open themselves up to judgement. This may come from their upbringing, the office culture or their view of the hierarchy. What it does is increase the chances that communication is misunderstood. Actively pull out peoples opinions and create an environment where honest feedback is encouraged.
3. Communication - Trust
Leaders, if there is a recurring communication issue in the organization, it often stems from a lack of trust, and that responsibility lies with you. When people feel unable to communicate openly, they keep their thoughts to themselves and develop their own narratives. This situation can create cliques with shared views, leading to echo chambers that rarely reflect a healthy perspective.
4. Results
As a result, leaders miss important information and remain unaware of real or perceived issues impacting the organization’s success. Incorrect assumptions and negative opinions can flourish without the knowledge of those who can address them. This isolation prevents leaders from obtaining the information needed to make informed decisions, diminishing their ability to lead effectively.
Gervase Bushe does a great dive into this in his book “clear leadership”.
Interesting Articles
How people experience communication
How Great Leaders Communicate (hbr.org)
10 Tips For Effective Communication In The Workplace – Forbes Advisor
What Is Effective Communication? Skills for Work, School, and Life | Coursera
Communicating Authentically in a Virtual World (hbr.org)
Poor Communication May Be Slowing Down Your Team
Communication is not just a soft skill; it’s the linchpin of effective management. Yet, surveys reveal that employees are frustrated by unclear communication from their bosses. Some of these challenges certainly come from the more siloed communication environment created by remote and hybrid work. When managers are unclear in their communication, it can rob teams of their focus, diluting the overall quality of their output. It’s important for managers to realize that clear, consistent communication isn’t an option; it’s imperative. Here’s an important suggestion on how to improve your communication.
Do regular debriefs. After important company or team announcements, it can be valuable to set up debrief meetings with your team. Doing so will help you evaluate how well your people understand and accept the announcements, and will give you the opportunity to clarify and address any questions.
Coaching works. It will make you or someone you know a better leader.
Contact me
Phone: (778) 938-1003
Email: rob.murray@shaw.ca
Calendly: https://calendly.com/rob-murray-coaching-calendar
Touchstone Leadership Coaching, 507-990 LAGOON DRIVE, Vancouver, Canada
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